


Heartbeat.

by firstwiththeheadthenwiththeheart



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Multi, POV Multiple, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-08
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-03-02 01:54:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13307937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstwiththeheadthenwiththeheart/pseuds/firstwiththeheadthenwiththeheart
Summary: It was after the hunters and the Anuk-Ite; after Scott and most of his pack left for college; after everything, and Theo Raeken was still in Beacon Hills, lurking in shadows, waiting for someone to say he could leave, and wondering if that's really want he wants. The moment that time comes, however, someone new arrives, and he has a feeling he won't be going anywhere any time soon.Selena Valdis has known what she is from a very young age, but it seems that the rest of the world is just now catching up. After a series of orchestrated events force her to do unspeakable things, Selena finds herself involuntarily moving to Beacon Hills. But what the supposed puppet-master of her life doesn't know is that Selena's already cut the strings and is ready to play.





	1. Chapter 1

**Theo:**

The lights in the diner flickered worryingly the moment the door opened, signaled by the jingling of the small bell attached to the top of it. Theo’s eyes darted up, seeing a small girl with blonde hair cropped short, and a sparkling golden skirt. She looked too bright to be in a place like this. The man who followed her, however, seemed to fit just fine. He had darting, tired eyes, and greasy hair.

They were an odd pair.

“You’re not even listening,” Liam groaned, throwing a fry at Theo, which hit his chest and then fell into his lap. He adjusted his gaze, so that he was glaring at the younger boy in front of him. Liam had his eyebrows raised with an expression that read _do I have your attention now?_

“What?” Theo asked, keeping his eyes trained on Liam. He didn’t know why, but he felt an overwhelming need to be watching and listening to the odd duo that just walked in. His instincts were not usually drawn to anything good. _Usually._

Liam rolled his eyes irritably and sank further in his seat. 

“Scott says you’re free to go whenever,” Liam muttered, playing with his fries instead of eating them.

It took a moment for Theo to process what had just been said.

“Didn’t realize I was being detained here,” Theo responded, which was a lie. He knew he wasn’t supposed to leave, not that anyone had explicitly said it. Well, apparently just not to his face.

Liam gave him a mocking look; his mouth twisting into an unamused, half-assed smile.

“So, that’s what this is all about?” Theo asked, raising an eyebrow. “You wanting to let me know that I’m a free man? Why didn’t McCall do it? Did he want to pretend I have dignity left? Too engrossed in college already to just pick up the phone and call?”

_\--you’ll never be able to bring her back again, don’t you know that? You only get to do it once._

Theo had been too startled by Liam’s admission, and had forgotten to listen in to the two in the booth on the other side of the diner. The man with the greasy hair had a low, dangerous voice.

Liam was blinking at him in confusion.

_Insightful. Please, tell me more about things you know nothing about._

The girl sounded happy, chipper even—but Theo knew she wasn’t. There was an edge to her voice; one of hard indifference.

“Why would…?” Liam said, before shaking his head and glaring at him. “Dude, I’m, like, the only person you hang out with. Why _wouldn’t_ I tell you? We’re, like, friends, you know? And if you want to leave and go find a new pack, or be a lone wolf, or whatever…”

Again, Theo’s mind fogged. _Friends._ Liam hadn’t used that word before. He had never actually addressed them as a ‘we’ before either. And he had said a _new_ pack, as though Theo had an old one to leave behind—as though Theo were in one right now. He stared at Liam, who squirmed uncomfortably as his eyes feel back onto his fries.

_\--brought here for a reason._

Theo finally let his gaze drift from Liam toward the other couple in the diner. The man had the girl by the wrist, but she didn’t look threatened. She somehow managed to look both amused and bored at the same time. They both had steaming cups one was coffee and the other hot chocolate, that’s what Theo smelled. And…his heart stuttered, and he felt Liam’s eyes snap back toward him.

“What’s wrong?” Liam asked as he twisted, so he could see where Theo was looking.

“She smells like…” Theo swallowed the thick lump in his throat.

Liam sniffed the air around him.

“Hot chocolate, cigarettes, soil, spearmint, and…that’s it,” Liam looked confused.

“Not soil,” Theo said, watching as she leaned in toward the man in a way that an onlooker, who couldn’t hear the conversation, might think she was trying to seduce him.

_Tell your boss I don’t work on empty threats,_ she said, and Theo watched the man stiffen, _his plan might have brought me here, but I’m not doing jackshit until he comes up with a price that I’m willing to play for._

“Hell,” Theo whispered, and Liam’s eyes grew wide and his jaw set. “She smells like Hell.”

-

**Selena:**

“There’s no way you already have a boyfriend,” Darcie said, her voice muffled by the pillow she was face down in. “We’ve been here for a week.”

Selena kicked off her heels, and shimmied out of her skirt. She groped around the room, until she found a pair of sweats that didn’t smell too dirty and put them on, before crawling onto the bed, which was merely a mattress with a loose sheet, a couple pillows, and a comforter on the floor. Her sister groaned and turned toward her.

“There’s absolutely no way,” Darcie said, her eyes had black smudges all around them from makeup that was poorly removed.

“I do not have a boyfriend,” Selena said, removing all the golden rings on her fingers one by one and putting them into a jar by the mattress. She then punched her pillow into submission, and rolled away from her sister. “Now go to sleep.”

“Then who was the guy?” Darcie asked, kicking at her leg.

“Just a guy,” Selena muttered, pulling the comforter tighter around her, and trying to figure out what was going to be the best way to get her sister to shut up. “Some dude who asked me to go get coffee, I said yes, and we went. It’s not a big deal. People get asked out, Darce.”

“One, no one just _gets_ coffee at ten at night, and two, I know people get asked out. You say that like I’ve never been asked out before, and I have totally been asked out,” Darcie had rolled over as well, huffing in annoyance.

“Go to bed,” Selena muttered into her pillow.

“Greg Simmons asked me out,” Darcie had flipped onto her back, and Selena wondered how this obnoxious girl was the most important person in her entire life. “Nick Pauley, too. One time, Bradford Jenkins asked me out—I mean, I had to say no, because, well, you know, he bragged back feeling you up—”

“Congratulations,” Selena snapped, sandwiching her pillow over her head to try to drown out her sister. She was too tired to put up with this shit. “You were asked out by the most boring, piece of shit boys at our school, did you want a fucking metal or something? Go the fuck to sleep.”

“Why are you so cranky?” Darcie whined, pulling the pillow off of her head. “Nick Pauley had a black belt, which is sort of interesting.”

“It’s midnight, and I’m tired and you’ve got to go to some stupid new school in the morning, while I find a job to support our asses, that’s why I’m cranky,” Selena said, glaring over her shoulder at her sister, who was staring up at the ceiling with a frown.

Darcie bit her lip, before her gaze drifted over to meet Selena’s.

“It’s just,” Darcie’s dark eyebrows furrowed a bit. “I have trouble sleeping, after…”

Selena swallowed the guilt rising in her throat.

“I know,” she said, breaking eye contact and laying back down, so that she was facing the wall. “I do too.”

But it wasn’t the truth. Everything was different for Darcie now, and Selena would never truly be able to understand what her sister was going through. Not really. Not ever.

“We should tell someone, about mom, about what’s happening,” Darcie said quietly.

Selena figured her sister hoped she wouldn’t be able to hear her, because Darcie knew that Selena would never go for it.

“We tell, and you get put in the system, is that what you want? Do you want to go live in some group home?” Selena asked, hearing the harshness in her tone, and feeling Darcie cringe next to her, remaining silent. “I didn’t think so. We’ll be fine. We don’t need the money. I’ll get a job. Everything will be fine. Go to sleep.”

Selena didn’t sleep, but instead strained to listen to the sound of her sister breathing--trying to etch the sound into her mind, just in case something happened and she didn't get to hear it again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, thank you for reading. All mistakes are mine, so if you catch anything please let me know. I'd love to hear from you and what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

Isaac:

The snoring wasn't news to Isaac; he often heard it through the thin walls of the McCall house, but the long string of drool trailing from Liam's bottom lip was a surprise. Well, less of a surprise, and more of an inability to comprehend how the younger boy found anyone to willingly date him.

Isaac's finger tapped impatiently on the steering wheel of the unmoving car. He eyed the odd, almost L shape angle of Liam's neck, the way he had his face pressed against the window, causing it to fog, and the way his drool was forming an embarrassing, wet pool near the crotch of his jeans.

Earlier that morning, Isaac had been woken up to the sound of a key grinding into the lock of the front door, and his alarm clock blinked 1:54am in bright, neon red letters. Monroe popped into his mind, and then how easy it was to make a key molding, and before he could even register his own movements he was at the top of the stairs, staring down at the intruder, who turned out to just be Liam.

The younger boy had jogged up the stairs, raising an eyebrow at Isaac as he asked, "What are you doing up so late?" He had smelled awful—like stale, fried food and Theo Raeken, and he hadn't waited for Isaac to answer, before heading into the guest bedroom and shutting the door. Isaac slid down the hallway wall, his heart still hammering. A loud hum of music came from Liam's room, something normal human would barely be able to register, but it felt to Isaac as though his head were pressed to speaker at a club.

The music kept playing long after Isaac was in bed, awake and trying to find meaning in the patterns he could see on his ceiling.

"Dude," Isaac said, but only got a loud snore in return.

Rolling his eyes, Isaac climbed out of the car, and rounded around to the passenger side, avoiding the clumps of students making their way toward the school.

Thick, gray clouds crowded the sky and the morning air smelled damp, which was very much in contrast to sunny, bright morning that had been his last first day of school. He hadn't planned on stepping onto campus until at least lacrosse season, but living with Liam had changed a lot of his plans. Like getting a normal amount of sleep. Or having any leftovers left for lunch the next day. Or never having to look at Theo Raeken's stupid, smug face again.

Unceremoniously, Isaac opened the passenger side door.

Snorting in surprise, Liam scrambled to stay in his seat, which wasn't a large feat, seeing as he was buckled in.

"Dude, what the Hell?" Liam wiped his hand with his mouth and glowered up at Isaac, who was leaning against the side of his car. "You could've just nudged me, or something."

"You're right," Isaac said, raising an eyebrow at a couple of younger girls, who were staring and whispering something about lacrosse. They giggled and hurried toward the school. "I could've."

Liam rolled his eyes and unbuckled his seat belt, gathering his backpack from in between his feet.

"And you could've had Mason come pick you up, instead of having me wake up at seven in the morning to drive your ass to school," Isaac said coolly, glancing around the parking lot, while Liam rubbed the sleep from his eyes, still scowling.

"Mason didn't want to drive across town just to pick me up, and you live there," Liam muttered, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and slamming the door closed a little too hard.

Isaac stared at the door; his eye twitched in annoyance.

"Hey," Liam said, hitting Isaac's arm a little too hard as well, and pointing across the parking lot. "That's the girl I told you about this morning, the one Theo said—"

"You'll have to forgive me for not believing every word that comes out of Theo Raeken's mouth," Isaac said, shrugging himself off of the car, and peering in the direction of the girl as Liam made an annoyed noise. "Also, how about we don't talk about our hunches in the middle of a crowded parking lot, full of people who could potentially hear better than most."

Liam's hand twisted into a fist.

"And think about controlling our anger," Isaac muttered, smelling the sharp scent of Liam's blood.

There were two girls, actually. One was a gangly mess of thin limbs and dark hair; she looked as though she might have a few inches on Liam, but he couldn't tell from this far away and she was bouncing excitedly, which didn't help. She had glanced their way for just a moment when Liam had pointed them out, but her gaze bounced away just as quickly. It could have just been coincidental, but Isaac didn't really believe in coincidences. Especially not in Beacon Hills. The other girl was small and pale with a pixie cut and a short, white dress with gold and teal sequins which covered the dress in a scalloped pattern. She was leaning against a car with a cigarette between her fingers covered in gold rings and wearing a jaded expression that didn't match her outfit. Her pale eyes watched the girl in front of her bob up and down.

"Which one was it, the blonde or brunette?" Isaac asked, looking down at Liam's hand, which the younger boy was flexing—there was a smear of blood on it.

"The blonde," he said with a sniff.

"You're going to have to learn how to not get so riled up," Isaac said, raising an eyebrow at him. "Can't have an alpha running around and destroying things just because he can't keep his cool."

"Then why don't you do it?" Liam hissed, red creeping onto his cheeks and he blinked a couple of time, breathing deeply and rhythmically.  
Isaac eyebrow went higher still.

"What makes you think I can control it any better than you, or that I want to?" Isaac asked, twirling his car keys around his finger and smirking at the shorter boy, who did not return the grin. Sighing, Isaac caught his keys and turned toward Liam. "Look, you're the alpha of your pack—everyone knows it. I'm just here as a favor to Scott, _my alpha_ , and because I've got a lot of things going on that don't involve me leaving this town. But I'm here to help, Liam. So, if you want to start some investigation into two tiny girls, because Theo Raeken smelled some dirt on one, I guess that's what we'll do."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're annoying?" Liam huffed, but Isaac could see a semblance of a smile. "Like, _really_ annoying?"

"More people than you know, little guy," Isaac said, ruffling his hair, and darting out of the way, before Liam's fist could connect with his torso. He slid into his car, and gave a little wave, before maneuvering his way out of the parking lot of students.

He glanced at his rearview mirror seeing that Liam was standing in the same place, watching the girls. Isaac let out a heavy sigh, making a mental to note to bring it up when Scott called for his weekly checkup.

If Isaac had known that not applying to a four-year school would leave him babysitting a pack that wasn't even his, he might have reconsidered his options. But as it was, he had a business to run, Scott's mom to keep an eye on, community college to attend, and a pack full of petulant children to watch over. He had never been this busy in his entire life.

-

Selena:

“Oh! I’m so excited! Look how big it is!” Darcie danced a little in front of her, and Selena watched with a raised eyebrow and took a drag of her cigarette “Do you think there are actual wings to a school this size? Do you think they have separate wings for different classes? What if I have a class on one side of the school, and then my next class is in, like, a different wing? Look! It’s an outdoor campus! I think I knew that? Did you know that? How many clubs do you think they have? Probably a lot. Do you think they have a knitting club; I always wanted to make us Christmas stockings…”

“Darce,” Selena said, seeing a couple of girls walk by and eye her sister with obvious disapproval. “Calm the fuck down.”

“Right,” Darcie said, nodding and trying to keep a neutral expression. Her dark eyebrows furrowed slightly as she stared up at the school in concentration. “Calm, cool, and collected. That’s what we ought to be.”

Selena rolled her eyes, and flicked her cigarette to the ground, before stomping it out with a sparkling heel, and taking the stick of gum Darcie instinctively gave her.

“You look so cute,” Darcie said sincerely. “I should have borrowed your clothes—you pull of sequins so well. I should’ve worn your gold skirt—”

“You look better in floral,” Selena said with a heavy sigh.

“Floral is such an old lady thing to look good in,” her sister said, glancing over her shoulder at a bunch of laughing students. “Could I borrow that furry, yellow coat you have tomorrow? That would really make a statement.”

“Sure, whatever,” Selena waved her hand in irritation, but Darcie wasn’t looking at her.

"Those boys over there were just pointing at us," Darcie said with too much enthusiasm as she turned back toward Selena with bright eyes.

Selena gave a cursory glance, before turning back toward her sister.

"Lucky us," she said dryly.

Darcie rolled her eyes.

"I've should've rode the bus," she muttered, still bopping with excitement. It made Selena want to reach out and put a hand above her head to stop the movement, but she didn't. Darcie deserved to feel like this. To feel so very much alive. "He probably was just pointing at you anyways," her sister said, chewing on her bottom lip. "I mean," Darcie gestured between them, like it meant something.

"God, stop being so self-deprecating," Selena said, shoving herself off the car and tugging on her sister’s cardigan. "It's boring."

Darcie's cheeks burned at the comment as she swatted at Selena’s hands, before picking at her skirt.

"Not everyone has so much confidence in the way they look, Selie," she said, her voice barely reaching above a whisper. She had stopped bouncing. "And I already know that I'm boring."

Selena stopped herself from rolling her eyes, and instead stretched her mouth into a toothy, believable grin.

"Yeah, well, you're not really trying to hide it, are you?" Selena said, reaching forward and pushing Darcie back with her finger tips, causing her sway a little. "What with all that talk about knitting club, and chess club, or whatever.”

Darcie rolled her eyes again, but a small smile crept onto her lips.

"Alright," Selena said, reaching up and smoothing a stray hair on her sister’s head. "Go learn something."

"And you get yourself a job," Darcie said, but she said it sweetly and then turned on her heel and bounced toward the school.

Selena hadn't answered, but watched her sister blend into the crowd of high school students swarming toward the entrance of the school. Something pricked the hairs on the back of her neck though, like something, or someone was watching her. She looked toward where the boys Darcie had pointed out had been standing, but the parking lot was practically empty. The only people who were left were heading towards the school.

She didn't look around, if someone was there, she didn't want to give them satisfaction.

-

Selena pulled into the Beacon Hills Cemetery just after one in the afternoon. She stared at the small brick building, which was where the main office was located and closed her eyes. A thrum of activity coursed through her, and Selena got out of the car.

A truck pulled up in the parking lot as she pressed one hand on the knob, and another on the door, and then paused. The wood beneath her palm was smooth, and familiar. Selena stared at it a moment, before shaking her head.

It was a thick oak door with a thatch of mistletoe in the upper left corner. Selena wouldn’t be surprised if a druid worked here, though it would throw off her plan a bit. But only if they found out, which was highly unlikely.

She slid past the door and into the building, clicking her way up to the counter. 

Facing away from her stood a man with light, golden brown hair reading a piece of paper. He looked vaguely familiar, even from the back, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Selena rang the bell on the counter, causing the man to cringe.

"I'd like a job, please," she said in the sweetest voice she could muster.

He didn't look over at her, instead his head tilted down as though he were back to reading the paper.

"And I'd like to never hear the sound of that bell again, but I have a feeling we're both going to be disappointed," he said, finally glancing back at her.

His eyes, which had bruised colored bags underneath from fatigue, narrowed instantly. 

"Really?" she said, drawing out the word as she tapped her fingers on the counter and looking around the dingy room. "You've got no work—" she dragged one finger across the counter, and then glanced at the griminess on the pad, before showing it to him, "nothing at all?"

He tossed the papers down on the counter behind him, and titled his head back a bit, so that he could look down as he examined her. His arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the back counter, while his eyes drifted over her once—he wasn't checking her out, but contemplating her. She would have much preferred the former; it was much easier to manipulate.

“Didn’t have you pegged for someone looking to get into the janitorial business,” he said dryly.

Selena let out a bark of a laugh.

“Honey, you can’t peg me,” she said with a smirk. “I’m unpeggable.”

“Right…” he said, drawing out the word. “It’s Isaac, actually, not Honey.”

“No shit,” Selena said in faux surprise. “You really look like a Honey.”

Isaac continued to stare at her—not giving her even an inch, there wasn’t even a twitch of a smile, which was annoying.

"Why would you want to work at a cemetery?" he asked as he glanced back toward his papers.

"I love working graveyard," she said, winking. He blinked at her, still not even cracking a smile. "And my name is Selena, by the way, Selena Valdis. I've got a resume," she slapped a piece of paper on the counter.

Isaac pushed himself off the counter he had been leaning against, and grabbed the piece of paper at the edge to avoid her hand, which was still on it.

He read the one line on the paper, and looked up at her with an eyebrow raised, unamused.

"Some resume," he said, sliding the paper back to her.

It had two sentences on it: _Hire me. You won't regret it._

"Surprisingly, it's landed me loads of jobs," she shrugged, playing with the edge of the paper.

"Yeah, well, even if you did turn in a resume with loads of jobs on it," he was mocking her, she smiled at him, and he still didn't return it, "I would have the same answer for you. We're not hiring."

"I'll just come back tomorrow then," she said, taking her resume and standing up fully.

"We still won't be hiring," he said, sounding more tired than he looked, which was certainly a feat.

Selena smiled back at him on her way out the door, while he returned her smile with an aggravated stare.

"Oh Honey, that’s alright,” she said, stepping out into sunlight. He looked so much younger from this view—standing alone in a cold, poorly lit, brick building. He couldn’t have been much older than her, if he was at all. “I’m a masochist. I live for this shit.”

-

 

Theo:

He had been trailing her most of the day. 

She had left the high school, after dropping the awkward girl off, and went straight to Goodwill; where she had picked up some dingy furniture and flirted her way into having two of the employees pack it into her car, while she smoked and smiled encouragingly. Then she went home, and unloaded it all herself. She struggled with a lot of it; and her frustrated yelled when she spent a better part of twenty minutes shoving a dresser up concrete stairs, gave Theo the impression that she might be different in the way that Lydia was different, rather than in the way that he or Liam were different.

From her apartment, she went to the grocery store, and then back home, where she stayed for the better part of an hour. And then, she went to the cemetery.

He had tried to listen to her conversation with Lahey, but the other boy had had the place practically supernatural proofed. From what Liam had told him, he had worked with Deaton on making it a safe place to have meetings without being overheard, or having a surprise attack. Even the door was made out of some special wood.

The girl had come out of the building, but Theo couldn’t even guess at how she felt the interaction went. Her face was a slate of indifference, and she gave off no chemo signals at all—as though she were used to controlling them. She didn’t even glance at his truck, which was parked only a few feet away from her own car.

And now, she was leaning against the hood of her car, scrolling through her phone, and chain-smoking outside of the high school as she had been for the better part of an hour.

Theo had heard the last bell ring, and the thundering of footsteps as the students all rushed to get out of the school, but the girl gave no indication that she could hear anything at all, or she was really good at hiding it, or she just wasn’t listening for it.

Irritation crawled up Theo’s spine; he was normally much better at reading people. But this girl was either not hiding anything, which he thought was highly unlikely, or trained at keeping how she felt very well guarded. Much like himself.

“You’re being creepy again,” Liam said, bumping his shoulder into Theo’s, and when Theo glanced his way, Liam nodded toward the girl. “Why don’t you just ask her out if you’re so interested?”

“What?” Theo said, turning his glance back toward the girl, who was still staring intently at her phone. He hadn’t even thought of whether or not he considered her attractive; he didn’t really take the time to consider that with anyone. “I’m not interested in her. Not in the way that you’re implying, anyway.”

“I don’t know, man, stalking is weird,” Liam said, raising his eyebrows and giving Theo a very judgmental look. “Even for you.”

“Even for…? What the Hell are you talking about?” Theo snapped, pushing himself off the tree had had been leaning against, and glaring at the younger boy, who merely shrugged.

“If you would just talk to her, I’m sure you could get more information, rather than just following her around,” Liam said with a deep sigh, as though he were about to dispense some great wisdom. “Remember when Stiles and I were stalking you? We didn’t get anything useful. I, however, learn from my mistakes, and therefore took a different approach.”

“You make no goddamn sense, Dunbar,” Theo muttered. It had been different then—Theo knew that they had been following him, it was obvious…but then again, he couldn’t quite put his finger on this woman, or what she knew. Irritated, Theo started toward his truck, but Liam grabbed his arm.

“Her name is Selena Valdis, and her sister’s name is Darcie. They moved here a few weeks ago from Washington, live alone together on Alder Street, and they’re going bowling with us on Friday,” Liam grinned as though he had uncovered the woman’s inner most secrets, which he hadn’t.

Theo spotted Isaac pulling into the parking lot, looking tired as ever as he climbed out of his car, and slammed the door shut. He looked annoyed when he spotted Liam standing next to Theo, which wasn’t new. Isaac had never been subtle about his hatred of him.

“We’re doing what with who?” Theo snapped, shaking Liam off of him just as Isaac strolled up to them, giving Liam a look.

“What?” Liam asked meekly, looking around as though he knew he was in trouble and was trying to figure out what he did.

“Why do you seem to have two chauffeurs, when you just need one?” Isaac asked, rubbing his eye with the back of his hand, before sticking both hands into his pockets. No hello, or any sort of acknowledgement Theo even existed, accept for the scowl and chauffeur comment. “I had work to do, and if you’re just going to have this satan pick you up, the least you could do is fucking text me—”

“Satan, now? Because I went to Hell and back? Real original, Lahey,” Theo muttered, leaning against the door of his truck, starting to wonder why he was still in this town, since Liam had given him the go ahead to leave.

It was obvious very few people wanted him here.

“Actually,” Isaac said, his eyes cutting toward him. “The Hebrew meaning of satan is accuser or adversary, which actually fits you quite well.”

“What the fuck are you studying in community college?” Theo snapped, throwing a confused look at Isaac, who promptly ignored him, and turned back toward Liam.

“Who are you riding with? Because I’ve got to go eat, before class,” Isaac said, twirling his keys around his finger. Theo felt the strong urge to grab them and fling them as far as he could.

“You,” Liam said, bouncing from foot to foot. “But I’ve got to convince Theo to go on this date with me—”

Isaac’s eyebrows contracted as he grabbed his keys mid-spin, and used the finger that had been twirling them to gesture between them. Theo felt his chest tighten as he glared at Isaac, knowing what was coming.

“You two? Dating?” he asked, and then shrugged. It was not the reaction Theo had been expecting. He reminded himself to breath normally as Isaac continued, “I mean—”

“No, idiot,” Liam growled, shoving him. “You remember that girl I showed to this morning? The one Theo had the weird feeling about?”

“Selena?” Isaac said, shifting his gaze onto Theo and looking a little surprised.

“Yeah, well, I asked out her sister, Darcie, because she was in my English class and she’s new and obviously very nervous about being here and then told Darcie to bring her sister for my friend— _wait_ ,” Liam said, stopping mid-rant and looking wildly confused. “How did you know her name?”

“She came in demanding a job today,” Isaac said, back to twirling his keys and scanning the parking lot, the look of indifference slipping back onto his face.

“At the cemetery?” Liam asked, nose scrunching.

Theo turned back to look at where he had seen the girl before—but her car was gone. He hadn’t even noticed her leaving, he had put the whole day into following her just to forget the second Liam fucking Dunbar opened his dumbass mouth. _Idiot._

“No,” Isaac said, turning back toward them. “She was going door to door in the neighborhood, asking to clean windows and curtains.”

“Really?” Liam said, eyebrows dragging together in confusion.

“Jesus, Liam,” Theo muttered, running his hands over his face and pulling the skin taunt. Sometimes, the naiveté of Liam appalled him.

“What?” Liam snapped, his hands curling into fists and his shoulders hunching. He often got defensive when he was clueless.

“Obviously, she came to the cemetery,” Isaac said dryly.

“I didn’t ask you to set me up with her,” Theo said, seeing Isaac’s eyes cut toward him. “And I’m not going. Why would you think it’s a good idea to date someone when they literally smell like Hell? I highly doubt anything good comes from Hell.”

“He has a point,” Isaac said, which Theo was pretty sure the only time the other boy had ever agreed with him; at least out loud, but then he said, “ _He_ did come from there.”

“You’re an ass,” Theo snapped.

“ _Isaac_ ,” Liam growled, and the other boy merely shrugged. Liam turned toward Theo, the scowl dropping from his face as he did. It felt like some sort of victory. But Theo couldn’t place what kind, well, he didn’t try to. “And this is how you get to know someone. You don’t have to marry her. Just go on a double date with me.”

Theo gave him a hard look. “I’ve got a better idea.”

“Oh really,” Liam gave him a look that clearly said he did not believe him.

Theo turned to Isaac, who was now checking the time on his phone, “Give her a job.”

“Oh, are you my boss now? I must have missed that memo,” Isaac said, pocketing his phone and crossing his arms, glaring out at a group of teens, who were being especially rowdy.

“What better way to keep an eye on her, than spend the whole day with her?” Theo said, raising an eyebrow. “People spend more time with their coworkers than they do their own families.”

“Actually,” Liam said slowly, nodding. “He’s got a point.”

“No,” Isaac shook his head, and still not looking their way, still glaring at the teens.

“Why not?” Liam asked, and his voice took on that sort of whine it did whenever he felt he wasn’t getting his way. A pouty, frustrated tone.

“Because it’s my business,” Isaac said, finally looking back at them, glowering.

“It’s your dad’s business,” Theo corrected, seeing Isaac’s lip twitch—probably from his fangs threatening to poke out, and Theo grinned back at him.

“Yes, and he died,” Isaac said, through gritted teeth, “so now it’s mine.”

“You always complain about the paperwork, and filing, and customers,” Liam huffed, waving his hands at Isaac’s father’s death, like it was a frivolous affair. Everyone seemed to do that to Isaac, Theo had noticed—as though the fact that he was an orphan didn’t matter. As though the abuse he suffered was an excuse. It almost made him feel empathetic toward him. Almost.

“So?” Isaac stepped away from them—Theo saw the tightness of his jaw, and wondered what it was about. _How badly of an impression could one girl make?_ She seemed perfectly fine when he watched her leave the cemetery that morning—not a whiff of emotion.

“So, hire her,” Liam said, stepping toward Isaac—closing the space again.

“Let me get this straight,” Isaac said, shifting his head up, so that he was looking down at them as his eyes darted between them. He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple bobbed angrily. “You want me to employ someone and spend all goddamn day with her, because she might be a demon from Hell, but you’re too afraid to spend a couple hours bowling with her?”

“I’m not afraid,” Theo shrugged, still grinning. “I just don’t think dating someone is the best way to get to know them.”

“Wow,” Isaac deadpanned, nodding, and looking away from them again, toward his car. “This clears up a lot for me about you’re dating life.”

“Didn’t realize you were interested in my dating life,” Theo said, and watched the automatic roll of Isaac’s eyes.

Liam bristled at the comment, throwing a glare back at Theo, who shrugged again. Liam mouthed, “Shut up,” at him, before turning back toward Isaac.

“I’m not hiring some maybe demon person,” Isaac said, shaking his head as though to further cement the fact.

“You can always fire her if we find out she’s just some normal person,” Liam said nonchalantly, causing Isaac to throw a glare his way, but there was a lack of bite in the look. A sort of surrender.

This is how it always went since Scott left. Isaac goaded, Theo baited, and Liam somehow pulled them together, even if it was begrudgingly.

“Jesus Christ,” Isaac groaned, running his hands over his face and pulling the skin taunt, before loping toward his car.

“Is that a yes?” Liam called, running after him—leaving Theo behind.

“Get in the car, Liam,” Isaac growled, yanking open his door, and climbing into the small car.

“Hey, Theo,” Liam said, stopping suddenly in his tracks, and turning back toward Theo. “Pick me up at around six on Friday. Darcie said that they would meet us there!”

“I am not going on a double date, Dunbar,” Theo called back, before starting toward his own truck, and biting back a smile. _Maybe a date with a possible demon wasn’t ideal, but at least Liam had thought to invite him instead of Lahey—and that had to mean something…right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya'll, thanks for reading and let me know about any mistakes that I may have made!


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